Fantasy Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays Breakouts and Sleepers

The Tampa Bay Rays need many undervalued players to have breakout and sleeper-type seasons if they want to compete in the AL East. Their starting rotation is loaded with upside talent.

Deep Sleeper: Jonny DeLuca, Tampa Bay Rays

DeLuca's minor league approach (strikeout rate – 16.3 and walk rate – 10.3) paints a higher picture with the Rays and potentially a better slot in the batting order with more success at the plate. His contact batting average (.282) with Tampa was well below his previous career path (.334), suggesting correction this year.

He is a tempting backend outfield flier, which will be helped by positive coach-speak in spring about his playing time and slot in the batting order. DeLuca is a player to follow in 2025 due to his 20/20 skill set, but he must hit the ball harder.

Breakout: Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays

The change in ballparks in Tampa this year should be a positive for Lowe’s power, and he has an elite success rate stealing bases in the majors (93.8%) and over his last two seasons in the minors (96.2%), which invites a much better season in 2025. His contact batting average (.370) has been an area of strength in his time with the Rays (.380) and in the minors (.394), offsetting some of his batting average risk.

With a 20/30 season on his major league resume, Lowe has the potential to be an excellent value this season. His first step to securing 550+ bats is solving left-handed pitching.

Breakout: Shane Baz, Tampa Bay Rays

The fun and excitement with Baz starts in 2025. He looks poised to give Tampa and fantasy teams meaningful innings, putting him on a path to post a sub-3.00 ERA and 175+ strikeouts with about 160.0 innings pitched.

On the downside, he has struggled over his first two appearances in spring training (six runs, eight hits, five walks, and two strikeouts over innings), suggesting Baz will be discounted in drafts over the next two weeks.

Breakout: Taj Bradley, Tampa Bay Rays

For 15 starts in 2024, Bradley delivered foundation ace stats. His next step is cleaning up his disaster outings and improving his success against left-handed batters (.252 BAA). He has the fastball to control the top of the strike zone and change a batter's eye with his developing elite split-finger pitch.

On the verge of ace status with slightly better command and fewer mistakes leaving the park. Next step: a sub 3.25 ERA and 200+ strikeouts if given 30 starts. Don’t sleep at the wheel and try to finesse him. Bradley allowed one run over 5.1 innings with nine baserunners and five strikeouts this spring.

Breakout Stud: Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays

Caminero draws the “next young stud profile” in the early draft season based on his early ADP (101.1). The 60th-ranked hitter last season by FPGscore (0.58) was Alex Bregman (.260/79/26/75/3 over 581 at-bats). A fantasy drafter has to decide if Caminero can beat those stats in 2025 to be worth his simmering ADP.

Based on talent and ceiling, he is the right kind of swing for a fantasy team. With a few more fly balls and an improved launch angle, Caminero has the tools to be a perennial 30-home run hitter with an edge in batting average.

I’ve been burnt by investing in Tampa prospects in the past, but I also hit a home run in my rookie season in the NFBC when I drafted Miguel Cabrera in round 6. Don’t be shy, as his bat should be in top form in March (5-for-24 with four runs, three home runs, and eight RBIs), leading to a rise in his price point.

Deep Sleeper: Jonny DeLuca, Tampa Bay Rays

Breakout: Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays

Breakout: Shane Baz, Tampa Bay Rays

Breakout: Taj Bradley, Tampa Bay Rays

Breakout Stud: Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays

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